Howey-in-the-Hills man serving probation for growing marijuana at home

Marijuana grow house in Howey-in-the-Hills. (Lake County Sheriff's Office )

October 17, 2012

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS — A 64-year-old resident is serving three years of probation for an indoor marijuana-growing operation found in his home in May.

James Strong pleaded no contest recently to cultivating cannabis, possession of more than 20 grams of cannabis, possession of methadone and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced to three years of drug-offender probation.

In May, the Lake County Sheriff's Office narcotics unit and the Howey-in-the-Hills Police Department, after searching his East Cypress Street home, found 147 plants, worth about $147,000, as well as two pounds of processed marijuana worth about $1,600, deputies said.

Detectives found an extensive growing operation using hydroponic grow boxes equipped with individual own lighting and water-pump systems.